On Saturday, September 21st, and Sunday September 22nd, FC Wisconsin Eclipse teams will play their ECNL home-openers against Vardar SC (MI), and Michigan Hawks.   Simultaneously, the boys at FC Wisconsin Nationals will be beginning their season in the US Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) against Sockers-FC Chicago.

Both the ECNL and the USSDA games provide an opportunity for the Wisconsin soccer community to see the highest level of youth soccer in the United States.  The ECNL and the USSDA are the training ground for the vast majority of the next generation of college and youth national team stars.  (Currently 20 of 26 players in the US U17 Girls Youth National Team are from ECNL clubs - a percentage that is nearly identical across all YNT age groups.)

FC Wisconsin Eclipse faces a tough challenge in the home opener, with two very difficult match-ups.  The Michigan Hawks have been ranked in the top 10 of the ECNL Overall Club Rankings every year of the league's history - an impressive feat that reflects their consistent quality across all age groups.  Vardar SC has also done well, with 2 teams that qualified for last year's ECNL Champions League, and 1 team that qualified for the ECNL North American Cup.

"We feel that our teams and players have been making significant and consistent progress over the last 18 months," said Director of Coaching Christian Lavers.  "Playing Vardar and MI Hawks this weekend will give us another opportunity to see where we are, and what we need to focus on for the coming weeks as we hit the heart of Midwest Conference play."

FC Wisconsin Nationals - The Boys are Back!

FC Wisconsin Nationals is the "brother program" to FC Wisconsin Eclipse - and they are starting their 2013-2014 journey this weekend as well in the USSDA.  The US Soccer Development Academy is a partnership between US Soccer and the top boys clubs in the country to provide the best players in the U.S. with a daily environment designed to produce the next generation of Men’s National Team players.  The Development Academy's programming is based on increased training, fewer but significantly more competitive games, and innovative coaching. FC Wisconsin is proud to be the only club in Wisconsin that is sanctioned to have teams competing in the USSDA, with U14, U16, and U18 boy’s squads.

Come see the best players in Wisconsin take on some of the best from Illinois and Michigan this weekend!

This weekend’s ECNL schedule includes the following matches:

• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 8.00am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U13 vs. Vardar (JR ECNL Friendly)
• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 9.00am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U14 vs Vardar
• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 10.45am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U15 vs Vardar
• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 12.30pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U16 vs Vardar
• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 2.30pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U17 vs Vardar
• Saturday, Sept 21 – 4.30pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U18 vs Mich Hawks
• Saturday, Sept. 21 – 7.00pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U13 vs. Vardar (JR ECNL Friendly)
• Sunday, Sept. 22nd – 8.00am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U14 vs Mich Hawks
• Sunday, Sept. 22nd – 9.30am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U15 vs Mich Hawks
• Sunday, Sept. 22nd – 11.00am FC Wisconsin Eclipse U16 vs Mich Hawks
• Sunday, Sept. 22nd – 12.45pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U17 vs Mich Hawks
• Sunday, Sept. 22nd – 2.30pm FC Wisconsin Eclipse U18 vs Mich Hawks

This weekend’s USSDA schedule:

• Saturday, Sept. 21 -- 5:00pm FC Wisconsin USSDA U18 v. Chicago Sockers FC
• Saturday, Sept. 21 -- 7:00pm FC Wisconsin USSDA U16 v. Chicago Sockers FC
• Sunday, Sept. 22 -- 3:30pm FC Wisconsin USSDA U14 v. Chicago Sockers FC

*All games will be played at the FC Wisconsin Soccer Fields in Germantown – Hwy 145 (Fond Du Lac Ave) between County Line Rd. & Donges Bay Rd.